Percentage of youth e-cigarette users increases in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ)- The percentage of e-cigarette users under the age of 30 has increased by 37% compared to last year and those who use them don’t see them as harmful.

According to Kentucky Health Issuse Poll (KHIP), nearly half of Kentucky’s young adults, ages 18 to 29, have tried e-cigarettes.

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KHIP is an annual poll of Kentucky adult’s opinions on health issues and is sponsored by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Interact for Health.

According to information from the poll, more than 60% of smokers have tried and e-cig and 9% of lifelong nonsmokers have tried them.

A recent report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine provides hard evidence that e-cigs act as a gateway to tobacco use among children and young adults and increases the risk of tobacco cigarette usage.

E-cigs still expose smokers to toxic chemicals including nicotine.

Since e-cigs usually have added flavors, they are more appealing to children and young adults and have caused lifelong non-smokers to pick up the habit.

With the increase in youth e-cig users made evident in the KHIP, health officials are calling for FDA regulation in order to get more information and provide it to the public.

Another unsettling statistic is the rate in which Kentucky adults have tried e-cigs; its the highest in the country.

In 2017, only 22% of adults nationwide had tried e-cigs compared to the 28% of Kentucky adults.

Once one looks at all the stats, it is clear that e-cigs and vapes are not a safe alternative to smoking.